Disposal of old stale gas ?

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Oct 27, 2002
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I need to dispose of about 10 gallons of stale gas (approximate 2 years old, and smells bad like varnish. I am not comfortable with mixing it with fresh gas and using in my vehicles. Any suggestions on the best way to dispose of it are appreciated.
 
If it is still in your vehicle and not contaminated with particles (rust, etc), diluting it with fresh, high octane gas and burning it is the easiest. It won't hurt your engine, it just won't burn as efficient. If you already have it in containers, you should take it to a hazardous waste disposal site or maybe check with an auto shop and see if they can dispose of it for you.

If it has been sitting for 2 years in a vehicle and 10 gallons wasn't the full mark on the tank, a bigger worry would be the probability of water in the tank.
 
If we lived closer I'd take it and dispose of it for you a half a gallon in the tank of my Corolla with a fresh fill up and believe me I'd never know the difference.
 
I drained almost 10 gallons of 6 year old fuel from an 86 K30 that had a bad pump. It smelled awful and was brownish in color. I added it to the 2001 Corolla in two increments and topped it off with fresh fuel and ran it. I had to keep the idle up at stops but other than than it actually ran fine. I'm too cheap to waste it. Wish I was closer I would dispose of it for you.
 
If there is no water it it, dilute a gallon at a time with a full tank of fuel and some berryman b-12. Will burn fine if its water free.
 
Any water would be settled on the bottom by now. I would still consider decanting it and putting it in your fuel tank in small doses every fillup. I've done this many times with flammable fluids.
 
We are in a small town but have a firefighter training center that serves other small towns. They will take it in a heartbeat.
Not sure if you are near one - but the fire dept might have an idea or two.
 
I'd always mix for mowers and such. But never had 10 gallons! If I didn't have newer cars and it was free of particles I'd probably try what others are saying...mix a gallon with higher octane in my car.

Otherwise, hazardous waste site seems the best option.
 
Kinda surprised at all the "I'd use it" comments. The OP lives in the south east? This ~2yr old fuel looks and smells bad. To me that's 3 strikes against it. Even diluted 10:1 I wound't use it for any engine I liked or needed.
 
I just fired up a riding lawnmower that sat outside covered with a tarp. Sat for 3 years I did top it up but probably only 10-20%. I keep meaning to sell the old one but a belt snapped on the new one and I needed to finish mowing. Fired right up and ran great. This is a very inexpensive riding mower and not a car though.
 
Put it on craigslist.

If you have old windshield washer bottles they'll hold it, fine, and you can keep your gas cans.

Or find a mower at the dump and run it on that.
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Kinda surprised at all the "I'd use it" comments.

Because there's no harm in doing so.
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by JTK
Kinda surprised at all the "I'd use it" comments.

Because there's no harm in doing so.


No harm in doing so in what?

Would you run it in your $40K direct injected vehicle?
 
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Use it a few gallons at a time. I used up the gas I forgot to drain from my pressure washer in my lawn mowers the past few weeks .I would run it in my 2.7 Ford if it were several gallons instead of 3 lawn mower tank fills.
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by JTK
Kinda surprised at all the "I'd use it" comments.

Because there's no harm in doing so.


No harm in doing so in what?

Would you run it in your $40K direct injected vehicle?


Agree. Gas is cheap - toss that old gas out.
 
Quote
Just take some of it along with your waste oil, or mix it in, etc.


DO NOT DO THIS!!

Gasoline will mix with used motor oil just fine, BUT the vapors will still come up into the top of the tank and will be extremely flammable.
When somebody comes to pump the tank, be it Safety Kleen, or any others, they usually check the vapors for flammability, the whole tank could fail that test and be rejected.

It will also put others in danger of an explosion. At my local O'rielly's that tank is in the back of the store, near the double doors for access. Guess what else workers do out there? Smoke.

Recycling of used oil is a great benefit to me and is usually a free service. Don't do anything to screw this up.
 
Mix it with grease to get a consistency thin enough to spray as a vehicle undercoating. Or pay a lot more for lanolin grease marketed as fluid film. They both work, but they both stink so it's best for vehicles which aren't garage kept.
 
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A small amount in any gas or diesel vehicle won't do any harm, the whole amount at worst would plug your fuel filter and run rough due to low octane
 
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